Latest Video and Audio

Oram, South Africa and the curseWorld Cup Vignettes: A middle-order collapse saw them exit the World Cup, but some inappropriate on-field behaviour by the New Zealanders took its share of the spotlight
()

Oram, South Africa and the curseWorld Cup Vignettes: A middle-order collapse saw them exit the World Cup, but some inappropriate on-field behaviour by the New Zealanders took its share of the spotlight
()

Dhoni takes India homeWorld Cup Vignettes: The most memorable shot of MS Dhoni's career came on the biggest platform: a six to win the World Cup, India's second title
()

Yuvi steers India clearWorld Cup Vignettes: The man of the tournament, Yuvraj Singh, produced his most crucial innings against Australia in the quarter-final
()

With just a year to go for the 2015 World Cup, India's performances in their last two ODI series have caused plenty of concern. On the tour to South Africa earlier this season, they were thrashed in two games and might well have lost the third as well if not for the weather; their three defeats in New Zealand have been by smaller margins, but that isn't any consolation for a team that started this tour as the No. 1 side in the world. India will go into the 2015 World Cup as the defending champions, but based on their recent record they'll not be favourites, especially because the tournament will be held in Australia and New Zealand.

Since their 2011 World Cup win, India's overall ODI record looks impressive: 43 wins, 26 losses in 75 matches, for a win-loss ratio of 1.65, the best among all teams during this period. However, their overall numbers hide their poor record in Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa during this period. Despite the win in the Champions Trophy in England last year - a tournament in which they achieved a clean 5-0 win-loss record - India's stats in these countries since 2011 is eight wins and 12 losses, and a win-loss ratio of 0.66. Five teams, including Sri Lanka, have a better win-loss ratio in these countries during this period.

On the other hand, when not playing in those countries, India have been unstoppable, winning 35 and losing 14, easily the best win-loss ratio among all teams. However, their record in Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa will worry them, given that they also don't have too much time to set things right.

The table below shows that India's batting average drops to 32.65 when playing in these four countries, from 40.79 everywhere else. However, India's batting run rate is marginally higher in these four countries - 5.58 to 5.53. The bowlers, though, have struggled to keep the runs down, conceding 5.67 runs per over in these countries, up from 5.22 everywhere else. When compared with other teams who've played in these four countries during this period, India's record is worse than all teams except West Indies, who've gone at 5.72 to the over.

India's ODI record since the 2011 World Cup

Matches

W/ L

Ratio

Bat ave/ RR

Bowl ave/ ER

In Aus, Eng, NZ, SA

25

8/ 12

0.66

32.65/ 5.58

36.61/ 5.67

In other countries

50

35/ 14

2.50

40.79/ 5.53

31.19/ 5.22

ODI records of teams in Aus, Eng, NZ and SA since the 2011 World Cup

Team

Matches

Won

Lost

Ratio

England

41

22

15

1.46

New Zealand

26

14

10

1.40

Australia

40

21

16

1.31

South Africa

34

17

14

1.21

Sri Lanka

30

13

15

0.86

India

25

8

12

0.66

Pakistan

11

4

7

0.57

West Indies

14

3

10

0.30

MS Dhoni has often complained about his lack of bowling options overseas where the pitches are truer and don't offer much turn, and the numbers below bear out his complaint. India's bowlers - both pace and spin - have fared much worse in Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa than in other countries. In those four countries, the fast bowlers have averaged almost 40 runs per wicket and six per over; in other countries both their averages and the economy rates are better. The wicket-taking ability of the spinners takes a major hit in these countries - best illustrated by R Ashwin's recent struggles - as the average goes up from 30 to 44. The lack of wickets usually means opposition teams have more wickets in hand to go after the bowling in the slog overs.

How India's bowlers have measured up since the 2011 World Cup

Type

Wickets

Average

Econ rate

Strike rate

In Aus, Eng, NZ, SA

Pace

92

39.48

5.88

40.2

Spin

55

44.16

5.21

50.8

In other countries

Pace

184

34.90

5.41

38.7

Spin

180

30.06

4.78

37.6

Admittedly, spin bowling in those countries isn't an easy task, given that pitches are usually true and don't turn much, but even so the stats for Indian spinners are worse than those of any other team, both in terms of averages and economy rates. Pakistan's spinners average almost 40, but they've conceded only 4.62 runs per over, compared with India's 5.21. England's spinners have conceded 5.06 per over - the only side other than India to concede more than five - but they've averaged 35.18, considerably better than India's 44.16. India's spinners have taken 55 wickets in 25 matches, but that's more a reflection of the number of overs they've bowled per match: they've bowled about 19 per game, but they haven't actually given the team control in terms of curbing the runs or taking wickets.

Spinners in Aus, Eng, NZ and SA since the 2011 World Cup

Team

Matches

Wickets

Average

Econ rate

Strike rate

Pakistan

11

29

39.48

4.62

51.2

Australia

40

45

42.13

4.76

53.0

New Zealand

26

40

39.70

4.83

49.2

South Africa

34

45

40.24

4.85

49.7

Sri Lanka

30

46

43.82

4.89

53.6

West Indies

14

22

41.22

4.96

49.8

England

41

55

35.18

5.06

41.6

India

25

55

44.16

5.21

50.8

If India's spinners have less-than-flattering stats abroad, then the fast bowlers aren't much better. When playing in Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa, they've averaged 39.48 runs per wicket, and 5.88 per over. In both these parameters, only West Indies have done worse than India, averaging 43.09 per wicket and 5.93 per over. On the other hand, the best teams are way better than India: South Africa average 26.61 at an economy rate of 4.88; Australia average 28.36 at an economy rate of 4.99. (Click here for the full list.)

Whether it's operating with the new ball in conditions that offer something to the quick bowlers, or bowling at the death when opposition batsmen are in search of quick runs, India's pace attack has been equally toothless. In the first ten overs, they've conceded, on average, 4.91 runs per over and almost 40 runs per wicket, worse than all teams except West Indies. The best in class, South Africa, are streets ahead - they average 28.65 per wicket, and 3.99 per over. In the last ten, India's seam attack leak 8.33 runs per over and again share the bottom place, this time with New Zealand, whose fast bowlers do significantly worse at the end of the innings than they do at the start. India's pace bowlers don't take too many wickets either at the death, averaging more than 33 per wicket. The best in class, South Africa again, concede about half the number of runs per wicket, and only 6.20 per over.

The last column in the tables below further illustrates the proclivity of the Indian fast bowlers to ease pressure, by frequently conceding boundaries. In the first ten overs, they concede a four or a six every 8.58 balls - the worst of the lot - while the best in class is Australia's 11.61. In the last ten, they concede a four or a six every 6.51 balls, worse than all teams except New Zealand. The top teams in this category - Sri Lanka, South Africa and Australia - make the opposition batsmen wait more than 8.5 balls per boundary. Mohammad Shami has been the worst offender in this category, conceding 25 fours or sixes in 108 balls in the last ten overs, an average of one every 4.32 balls. His economy rate at the death is 9.88. Ishant Sharma has had his share of forgettable spells at the end, but overall his slog-over stats are better: an economy rate of 7.28, and a boundary every 7.64 balls. Umesh Yadav is similar, with an economy rate of 7.27, and a boundary every 6.60 balls.

Fast bowlers in the first 10 overs in ODIs in Aus, NZ, Eng, SA since Apr 2011

Team

Inngs

Wickets

Average

Econ rate

Balls/4 or 6

South Africa

33

44

28.65

3.99

10.58

Pakistan

11

15

28.26

4.15

10.03

New Zealand

26

36

29.02

4.24

10.04

Australia

40

56

29.05

4.26

11.61

England

39

55

30.32

4.31

10.70

Sri Lanka

30

37

35.59

4.77

9.80

India

25

30

39.36

4.91

8.58

West Indies

14

15

40.73

4.91

8.78

Fast bowlers in the last 10 overs in ODIs in Aus, NZ, Eng, SA since Apr 2011

Team

Inngs

Wickets

Average

Econ rate

Balls/ 4 or 6

South Africa

25

49

17.59

6.20

8.60

Sri Lanka

23

42

24.80

6.70

9.61

Australia

27

63

22.34

6.94

8.82

England

30

65

23.56

7.39

7.10

Pakistan

9

10

26.60

7.86

6.15

West Indies

9

12

35.08

8.09

6.64

India

19

28

33.57

8.33

6.51

New Zealand

18

32

26.00

8.33

5.65

And finally, a look at the Indian bowlers who've sent down more than 50 overs in these four countries during this period. Whichever way you look at it, these numbers don't make for impressive reading. The bowlers with reasonably good economy rates average more than 40 runs per wicket; those who average less than 30 go at about six an over or more. Umesh Yadav, who some experts reckon should be playing in the ODIs in New Zealand, averages almost 60 runs per wicket and goes at a run a ball. No wonder Dhoni has been wondering aloud about his bowling options for the 2015 World Cup.

The stats might illustrate India's weaker bowling options but there is one more glaring loophole that can't be ignored. That is, defensive mindset. India knows, barring Zaheer Khan none of their fast bowlers have a attacking mindset. But spinners were always their attacking option. Even Harbhajan in his pomp was an attacking spinner. Defensive bowling ruined him. And now Ashwin, who opts for safety first and then wickets, if there's any. And the blame, I feel doesn't fall on the bowlers for that. It's on MS Dhoni.
He needs to attack more and let his bowlers bowl freely and forget about the runs as he has the firepower in the batting to cope with any thing.

Posted by
Dummy4
on (January 31, 2014, 9:00 GMT)
- Featured comment

viru,gauti,yuvi are extreamly happy now, whynot?

Posted by
Dhairy
on (February 4, 2014, 23:02 GMT)

Some digits of AVG of Indian cricketers taken from espncricketinfo.com suggest that players playing at LA avg of 50 is not taken and players with LA avg of 35 is playing every game.here is list.

How can we except players don't have 40+ avg at LA level will be a great ODI player? We should have 3 players in top 5 with avg of 50+ & 1 avg of 40+.

Posted by
thomas
on (February 3, 2014, 18:37 GMT)

Dhoni is very reluctant to try out new. He needs to go for things to change. He is a misfit in tests and should be replaced with someone else with Kohli as captain.
Time to ring in change. As for bowling how long will they ignore Ojha and Mishra keep trying Ashwin

Posted by
Dummy4
on (February 3, 2014, 11:29 GMT)

Shami, Zaheer, Bhuvaneshwar, Jadeja , and from the looks in the practice match India should give a chance to Ishwar Pandey, rather than sticking on with those who haven't done anything exceptional in any of the overseas matches.

Ashwin if needed can be brought in as a Batting All-rounder rather than as a spin bowler. He is not that effective in these conditions.

Ishant Sharma will come in handy in the Tests. But in ODI's he is rather expensive... (Well, who among them is not, right ? ) But the way he bowled in the test in SA and in the practice match in NZ I think he can be a right pick..

India should give more chance to Varun Aaron. He is a genuine fast bowler. India need someone of that pace. Give him time to develop his confidence and ability. Hitting 145+kmph consistently is not common at all in India, so they should give him a considerable amount of chance.

Umesh has the wicket taking ability even though he tends to be expensive. His pace will come in handy in these pitches.

Posted by
Rahul
on (February 3, 2014, 10:56 GMT)

Some of the stats in regard to the Indian spinners could be on account of the state of the game they have been required bowl in. If the quicks dont take early wickets, spinners will always be under the cosh. They will either have to bowl defensive lines or be taken for runs by the opposition batsmen. More so now, with the fielding rule changes. In defense of our spinners, there have been several occasions overseas where they have managed to pull the game back only for the seamers to let it go again between overs 35-50. Having said this, I believe PAK/SL/England and even BD and the WI, have more influential spinners in the ODI game than does India

Reading many a comment, makes me think do Indians think just beating SL or Pak continuously make them feel like world champions? Stats dont think so! Reading many a banter between these nationalities makes me reall think that. Quite silly really!

Posted by
Simon
on (February 2, 2014, 3:33 GMT)

Figures back up everything I've ever believed about spinners from playing and watching. Their strike rate, economy rate, averages and wickets prove that off spinners are just there to give the real bowlers a rest.
The only ones who perform lower in any of these categories have all bent their arm to deliver, some even have had the law changed to suit them.
All need favourable conditions prepared for them to still under achieve!

Posted by
Kah
on (February 2, 2014, 2:28 GMT)

Just in a few weeks, we will have major tournaments in the sub continent where India will play sub par teams like Pak and SL and the fans will forget about this and enjoy the IPL where players like Sharma, Dhawan etc will make millions. The only way changes can be made is if India's public stops following cricket played in their subcontinent. Immediate changes are extremely important for India, including inclusion of Gambhir and Pujara in the ODI side, Yuvi can also come in. Most critical change is Dhoni should be fired from captainship, he can be a senior wicketkeeper batsman, but unless he is the captain he will not let gambhir come in the side

Stats editor Every week the Numbers Game takes a look at the story behind the stats, with an original slant on facts and figures. The column is edited by S Rajesh, ESPNcricinfo's stats editor in Bangalore. He did an MBA in marketing, and then worked for a year in advertising, before deciding to chuck it in favour of a job which would combine the pleasures of watching cricket and writing about it. The intense office cricket matches were an added bonus.